


Painting

by riverwrite



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Painting, Zukaang - Freeform, gays being gays, just general sweetness, set about 3 years after the end of the series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 12:42:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7892680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riverwrite/pseuds/riverwrite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A hiss was heard through the small room as cold paint hit pale skin. “Hold still..” A hushed whisper, the Avatar’s voice, speaking to the young firebender in front of him, paintbrush in hand. “It’s hard to when the paint is cOLD!!” Zuko nearly jumped out of his skin at the feeling of a wider, wetter, colder brush being pressed against his hot flesh.</p><p>Basically, Zuko is used as a canvas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Painting

**Author's Note:**

> ENJOY SOME FLUFFY GAYS I'M GONNA GO SLEEP NOW

A hiss was heard through the large room as cold paint hit pale skin. “Hold still..” A hushed whisper, the Avatar’s voice, speaking to the young firebender in front of him, paintbrush in hand. “It’s hard to when the paint is cOLD!!” Zuko nearly jumped out of his skin at the feeling of a wider, wetter, colder brush being pressed against his hot flesh. “DON’T do that!” He cried out, turning to face the shorter boy. “Sorry, but if I warm up the paint it might lose it’s colour.” Aang laughed sheepishly as Zuko growled, turning back to face the other way. “Just...just do your thing, I guess. What are you even painting anyway?” Amber eyes scanned over the array of reds, blues, yellows, and oranges in little bowls on the floor. He didn’t exactly understand why Aang was so persistent on using him as a canvas, but he complied anyway, willing to do anything for the young boy. “I can’t tell you, you’ll have to wait.” Another groan left Zuko’s throat making Aang laugh. They both knew that Zuko was not a patient man, especially now that he was firelord. “Stop that, you’ll live.” Aang watched his own hand as it meticulously stroked down pale, scarred, skin. Scars from a war that tried morals, scars on skin that should be innocent.

The young airbender let out a small sigh at the memory of the war. It was unpleasant, but it allowed him to make many new friends and see many new things. He let the brush grant him peaceful thoughts again, thoughts of where he was now.

Six years ago, the prince of the Fire Nation was hell bent on finding the Avatar, bringing him to his dictator of a father to find that his father really wanted him out of his sight. Now, here they were, the Avatar in the fire-lord’s bed chambers as usual, painting on the lord’s skin, appreciating the relationship they had. They had easily moved past formalities, now being able to freely be around each other whether it be of casual nature or...more intimate. Aang’s cheeks turned scarlet as he thought of the more passionate moments shared in the Fire Nation Palace’s main bed chamber. He quickly shook his head of the thoughts, as to not distract himself from his work. “How are you doing?” He asked Zuko, who was currently playing with a fire-ball in his hand. “Bored and cold.” Was the lord’s reply as he outed the flame with a quick flick of his hand. It had been about an hour since they had started and the window was open, creating a nice breeze. Zuko’s shirt was also removed so Aang could use his back as a canvas for his piece, so the breeze combined with cold wet paint was probably not doing much good for poor Zuko. Aang let out a giggle, trying to suppress it with his free hand as he continued painting on his partner’s back. “Don’t laugh at me.” Zuko snapped, but the words had no bite to them, causing Aang to snort. “Stay still, Zuko!” He whined as he moved his brush just in time before Zuko moved his upper body, twisting it to glare at the young air-bender. If he hadn’t moved his brush, there would have probably been a very, very ugly streak across his back. “You’ll mess me up if you keep moving!” Zuko rolled his eyes again, huffing as he turned back towards the chamber door, back facing the window. “Why are you making me do this again?!” He groaned out, running a hand through his dark mop of hair. “Because I wanted to try painting on something other than paper, and you’re the only one that wasn’t doing anything. Plus you’ve been-as Sokka put it-”bitching” about us not spending enough time together.” Zuko’s eyes widened at Aang’s claim of Sokka’s words. That traitor! Sokka wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about his whining about him and Aang not spending any time together. “He told you?!” Zuko nearly screeched, turning around again to face the small artist. Aang’s brows furrowed, tongue clicking in agitation. “Yes! Now hold still!” He grabbed Zuko by the shoulders and turned him once more, this time more aggressively than the last. Zuko brooded silently, as if a wave of embarrassment-based sadness washed over him.

“I can’t believe he would betray me like this.”  
“Stop being so dramatic, Zuko. I’m not surprised. After all, I have been absent these past weeks.” Aang was right. He had been absent.

Being Avatar meant doing a lot of traveling, and unfortunately, Zuko couldn’t tag along due to his own duties in his country, rebuilding the trust of the neighbouring nations, and bringing the economy back up. Both of them were busy people, barely having enough time to just be around each other, let alone intimacy, so any time spent together was made to be as long as possible. Sure, they slept in the same bed, but that didn’t mean as much as it used to as one usually passed out and woke before the other. Aang smiled softly as he worked the brush a bit more, the strokes shorter as he coloured in the lines he made on the other’s skin. He let a finger run over the paint that was dry, smile growing wider at the shudder that rippled through the fire lord’s back. “Your hands are warm.” Was the only comment he made before they slipped into another comfortable, quiet silence as Aang worked. Zuko absentmindedly played with small balls of fire in his hand, doing anything he could to pass the time. Finally, he heard something being set down on the tray next to him. “Done.” Aang got up from the little stool he was sitting on, running to a corner of their room to grab two mirrors: a standing mirror and a hand mirror, to show Zuko the masterpiece. “Here, hold this.” Zuko nodded as he took the hand mirror, holding it up to chest length, his eyes widening at what he saw. There, on his back, painted in great detail, were two dragons: the original fire bending masters. Both of them were swirling around each other in their own dance of tranquility, scales catching imaginary light sources, and fire enveloping them in a heat of fury. It almost looked real. Aang let out a small laugh at Zuko’s expression as he stared into the mirror, admiring the work on his back. “Do you like it?” He asked, almost sheepishly. “I love it.” Was all Zuko said before bringing their mouths together in a slow, loving kiss.


End file.
